Ok, here we go!
We arrived at Kanawha Valley Motorsports Park late Friday afternoon and was directed to our "reserved" parking area.

Unloaded the carts and met up with Derek Casto the track manager. Since the track was closed for the Thunder Jam setup Derek let me do some testing. Good thing because the cart need a little more ballast on the bars and the air box removed so the carb could breath. After the test problems were ironed out. It was almost time for me to give Draglist Radio a call. Not really wanting to in fear that I would make a fool out of myself,

I knew I wanted to, for the show and for BP.

Plus I think PR work is very important and goes along with being a showman. I think I did ok considering it was my first time on the air. BP, WC it was great talking with you!
Saturday I was nervous about what to exspect. What kind of responce would I get from the spectators. But with the help from Heidi, she calmed me down. Turned out to be great. The 5:30 to 6:30 Thunder Jam pit party, Meet and talk with the drivers/ autograph session went really well. I signed a few of the handouts that WC1 made for us. Thanks WC!!! Added to the attention I was already getting from the spectators, there was a local country radio station broadcasting direct from the track. I never gave it a thought but up walks this guy and he introduced himself as the DJ from the station and he wants to do a live interveiw with me.

Crazy! I'm on the air twice, in one weekend, my very first show!! May as well jump in with both feet! Right?
7:00, it's show time. I was first out. Then to follow was Ken Nelson and the Cool Bus wheelstander, 8 supercharged Warriors and the X-treme Machine Jet Freightliner Semi truck. Fired up the cart, pulled out on the track and did a short wheelstand from the burnout pad to about the 100' mark. Turned around and came back the other lane, pulled up into the beams, the light turned green, pushed the throttle pedal but not enough. The wheel came back down. I regined by stopping and hitting the throttle again and got the wheels in the air and carried them the rest of the way down the track. We had it setup that as I was making my pass the St. Albans police "Beat the Heat" Corvette driven by Jim Butler was to pull out and chase me down the track with the lights and siren on. So it looked like I sat the cart down on purpose! Knowbody knew!
Second show went good. Wheels up from start to finish line!! Woo Hooo!!!!
Just before the third show I was asked to try and put on the best pyro show I could because the jet truck was broke before his first pass and couldn't make his second call. So Heidi and I armed the cart with 2 spark fountains and 6 roman candles and headed to the staging lanes. First out again. Pull out on the track, flip the switch and lite the fountains, done my short wheelie, back the other lane, prestaged and lite the roman candles, staged, green light and down the track I went. The pyro's make it the best run of the evening!
Another highlight of the weekend was to talk with Ken Nelson and his wife Anita and to stop and have breakfast with them on the way back home. Great people!!
Yes, for sure, this is one great accomplishment in my life. The feeling this gives me is hard to explain but it feels great!
Thanks again group for your support, Daryl
